O Captain, My Captain
by Draconic Caduceus
Summary: Sequel to Memoirs of a Brainless Brute. Grief is a hard thing to bear, especially when you've lost everything. I guess Mother just couldn't cope. So Ranthanoss took over once more and they became someone entirely different.
1. O Captain

**Hey, I'm back. Tired as hell, but I'm back. Uh, what am I forgetting? Oh yeah!**

**I don't own Transformers, only some characters in this.**

**Also: I received an anonymous review from someone calling themselves 'Dandyparakeet.' I am not adverse to anonymous reviews. Sometimes I review anonymously, myself. However, Dandyparakeet asked a question and I would like to answer her/him. Anyone who reviews knows that I (usually) send a reply back, even if it only says 'thank you for your review :)'. I don't mind questions, and especially if there's a question I will answer it, but if you anonymously ask me a question without giving me contact information for me to answer you, it makes it harder for you to know the answer. I know that I myself am painfully curious, so if I mustered up the guts to review and ask, I would want my question answered. So if anyone has a question but no account, could you please give me an e-mail address or something so I can answer it?**

**Ah, well. Anyway, he/she said:** 'Wait... so, she was alive that entire time? Because in the beginning of the story, Russ had been dead for an entire month. And the ending doens't make sense either because throughout the story, Prowl and co are still alive, and at the end they die in the attack, even though the battle where Sophie died is mentioned before they die... I'm feeling very confused**'. The answer to that may be a little confusing, and may also accidentally give away some things:**

**The entire story is like a flashback. Windtreader/Russ lives her life up until she meets Narzenim. Then she dies. Then Narzenim wants to know the things she had never had the courage to ask, and in the process finds her "diary." So Narzenim sets about working on a sort of autobiography-slash-biography of Russ. The story is told more from her point of view, but it is the story of Russ's origins. There are two different timelines in this story: the "present" day (Narzenim's time where Russ is dead), and the "past" (before Narzenim's time where Russ is alive and young). Each timeline as they change is marked with _Present Day_ or the year and place. (_Present Day_ is set at around 2032)**

**In regards to the ending, I'm sorry that it may have been confusing. In Narzenim's time, Prowl is alive, but during the story, he is alive as well. I can see how that can prove confusing. Prowl dies in the Battle of Autobot City, as the story says, but like Optimus, is brought back, which would explain his presence in Narzenim's time and his knowledge of Russ, Jazz, and many of the other Autobots mentioned. Whenever Prowl and Narzenim are mentioned in the same "bubble," it refers to the "future" Prowl rather than the "past" Prowl. The same has happened with Slash, Windcharger, Ratchet, Wheeljack, and Skywarp (I believe I mentioned him in passing). **

**The journals that Narzenim was given cut off after Russet had been captured, so she had to move on to the next part, which happened to be the battle of Autobot City. However, Narzenim noticed that the girl that Russ had saved had made another appearance so she researched her. Lisa Sophie Hahns proved to be an interesting subject for her so she elaborated because everyone had been so caught up in the mess of things in the Battle that they didn't notice her presence so much. **

**Okay, I think that's it. We good? Did I answer your question, or does it require further elaboration?**

**Another note: Sorry this chapter is mostly about Narzenim. Again.**

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* * *

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_Present Day_:

My fur fluffed out in irritation. The Xarmix ship _Sundabanyala_ was coming, bearing my infuriating granddam and family come to pay their respects and offer their condolences for Mother's death. A growl rose in my throat and Fegali gave me a wry grin. Despite his attempt at levity, it was tainted by the tension of the moment as well as Prowl's stiff posture behind us.

The ship finished docking and the crew was beginning to disembark when I forced my face into one of bland emptiness, something expected of someone of my rank in the eyes of the people. I had specially crafted a shipsuit to look similar to the Xarmix colors and attire of mourning while still allowing it to keep some semblance of practicality. As the doors opened, Fegali reached out with a gentle hand and straightened the fit of it over my shoulders, dropping his hands quickly as the small delegation strode through the doors.

Leading them was my Granddam, likely the most infuriating person I had ever met in all my 35 years of existence. She leaned heavily on her ceremonial walking stick, her heavy bangles clinking and chiming as they struck each other. She was my mother's mother, the very mother that my own dam had left the planet to escape. Amber eyes clouded with age and lined in speckled black and fleshy pink skin narrowed upon seeing me and the beads woven into her hair clicked as she inclined her head in an almost bow. _–Great Seer, we have come to offer our condolences for your loss.–_ Her _idvixal_, an ugly creature that looked like a cross between a starving monkey and a rabid cow bowed her head slightly, amber and red eyes betraying her dislike.

I said nothing. My mother's sister stepped forward and said something similar though she did nothing to hide the open jealousy and contempt from her amber eyes. It was her daughter, my cousin Karitanxitha that was predicted to have either the genetics of the Earth-leopard-like spots (which are considered to be exceedingly beautiful on Xarmix), or the genetics of the Seer. It had been by some quirk of fate that I had been gifted with both and Karithanxitha given the fur considered ugly: a calico coat.

My aunt stepped back again and her mate stepped forward. It went on and on for a while as all five of the delegation (my granddam Kurixalla, my aunt Kvilstemnex, her mate M'villa, my jealous and "ugly" cousin Karithanxitha, and my cousin's mate N'llemielle) expressed their condolences for my loss. Their staff stood behind them, foci trained on the floor as their _idvixal_ bowed properly to Fegali and I.

It was an uncomfortable affair for all of us: for Jazz and Prowl it was a very Decepticon thing to have someone bowing and prostrating themselves; for Coby, Lori, and Professor Suzuki it was awkward because they had no understanding of what they were saying as well as seeing me in acting in such a different way; it was uncomfortable for my "family," bowing before a scrap of a girl who refused their care and "proper" nurturing in lieu of living with "brutish mechanical monsters;" and for me and Fegali, being the center of all the attention.

The servants of the delegation stepped forward, led by my own servant K'xarnxil beside his _idvixal_ Seranxil. He smiled in the human fashion, the dark grey skin of his lips twisting upward. _–My lady, I have come to fulfill the pact I had made. –_ he said, tilting his palms toward me to show the mark I had made there at our last meeting. Seranxil bowed her front legs, inclining her upper torso and spreading her wings in an awkward bow.

–_I'm glad you came,-_ I told him privately. _–I wouldn't have been able to stand it if they came without you.–_

Seranxil folded her second and third pairs of wings and fluttered them. It was their hidden code of amusement. More formally, I said _–I thank you for your concern.-_

Prowl rumbled behind us, a gentle noise that to Cybertronians, was like clearing a throat. I transferred his thoughts as he "spoke." _-We would like to welcome you aboard the _Jossine_. If it is what you wish, we could provide you with rooms for the entirety of your stay.-_

Secretly, we were all hoping they'd decline as they had the last time. But my granddam clicked the edge of her walking stick against the tile of the flooring. _–Our thanks. We believe that it is best that we are close to Karinxka during her time of mourning to help her through this tragedy.-_

To his credit, Prowl hid his surprise and sent the transmissions out to clear out rooms for our "guests." _-I will ensure that it will be done soon.-_ inclining his head politely he took his leave to make sure everything is cleared out.

_-Karinxka_.- I turned slightly at the sound of my Xarmix name, the one my mother had given me. Karithanxitha had called me, and her almost gentle thought surprised me. It was true that I had never spoken to my cousin for an extended period, but it was surprising to me that she didn't sound as jealous as she had always felt around me. _–We offer these servants as a condolence gift, including K'xarnxil.-_ she said his name like the female humans aboard would talk about a squashed bug. Inferior. Disgusting.

I could feel the heat of Jazz's anger behind me and the cold wave of incredulity shattering the air around the humans. I hid their reactions quickly behind the "barrier" I had raised behind me though inwardly I was as incredulous and angry as my adopted family was.

Fegali shifted slightly, but not enough for them to get a definite read on what I was thinking or feeling. _'I can't leave them here, 'Gali.'_ I told him. _'It'd mean years of servitude under those…those _hags_.'_

'_We _are_ a refugee ship, Narzenim.'_ He reminded me. _'I'm sure they can learn quickly and if they don't want to stay aboard the ship, we can always find them a home along the way.'_

Feeling relieved, I inclined my head politely toward my calico cousin. _–I thank you for your kind thoughts and your kind gift.-_

K'xarnxil glanced at me with one foci, obviously wondering what I was planning. He and Seranxil knew that I didn't take kindly to bonded servitude. Granddam Kurixalla flicked an ear in satisfaction, no doubt thinking that by accepting their "gift," I was more acceptable of Xarmix culture. I was relieved in the fact that I knew the true reason I accepted those servants as a gift. In doing so, I was continuing in my adopted Mother's steps.

* * *

It took a while to get them settled. Granddam couldn't be alone due to her old age (old age my ass!) so it took some juggling of rooms. They settled at last with Granddam Kurixalla, aunt Kvistemnex, and my cousin Karithanxitha in one room, and their mates N'llemielle and M'villa in another room. My new servants were to accompany me.

Prowl, to say the least, wasn't entirely happy of me adopting them (at least without consulting him first) but found a room near mine for them. I stopped by my room after ordering them to stay in their shared room for a moment. I needed to gather my thoughts.

Displays of inordinate affection toward me were frowned upon outside the boundaries of my room (mostly in regards to the Xarmix delegates down the hall) but inside the sanctuary of my room Fegali could wrap his arms around me and hold me the way he wanted to. I had always felt safe in the arms of two people: his and Mother's. Because Mother had been taken cruelly from me, I had only Fegali left.

The manuscript of Mother's story blinked at my from my computer as I tucked myself against Fegali's warm chest. "Did I do the right thing, 'Gali?" I asked.

"I believe you did. By accepting them as a gift, you are taking a step toward their freedom."

"But as long as the Xarmix stay, they must be servants."

"That has not stopped your friendship with K'xarnxil." Fegali replied mildly. "If you explain it to them well enough, and to K'xarnxil and Seranxil, they will understand and hold that façade until the Xarmix leave."

I sighed and pressed my face against the windshield on his chest. I opened my eyes and one of my foci drifted toward the computer screen. In it was the beginning of a new chapter of Mother's life, a life I had not known about until recently when I had gone digging in her room.

Was this a new chapter of my life? Or am I being so nostalgic that I'm trying to hang on to every little grasp I have of her, to hold on to her memory so that I don't forget? Fegali hugged me tighter to his chest, as ever careful of his almost limitless strength.

"Let's go talk to them," I said at last, pushing lightly against his hold. He released me instantly and placed me carefully on the ground before standing and following me out. Casting one last glance at the computer screen, I walked down the halls toward the quarters of my new servants.

* * *

They were all male, but that was to be expected: in Xarmix society, females were the dominant ones. Most were K'xarnxil's height or around it, ranging in color from pitch black to calico to brown and orange. Seeing me enter with Fegali, the four new servants unfamiliar with me bowed low, their _idvixals_ mirroring the motion. K'xarnxil and Seranxil smiled at me, my friend's eyes gleeful, Seranxil's eyes calculating and calm.

I glanced at the four servants and they followed my gaze. We had a long way to go with them.

_-Your granddam tried to bargain with them,-_ K'xarnxil told me. _–If they gave her information on you and your family, something that would allow them to pull rank and law, they would receive their freedom.-_

It was an open thought and I glanced at the servants. They looked abashed and I had to smile. _–Tell me honestly, please: who would be willing to do that?-_

The calico male looked up. Strangely, he seemed to be the one in charge. His grey eyes met mine squarely, a solemn air in them. _–Forgive me, my lady. We are willing to do no such thing. I myself am related indirectly to you, and each of my fellows here hold a vague relation to you.-_

The orange tabby male nodded. _–And forgive me for being so brazen, my lady, but we don't like her.-_

I nodded. _–Well, that certainly makes things easier for me. This is my _idvixal, _Fegali. He serves as the counterintelligence officer aboard this ship. I myself serve as the intelligence officer.-_ I noticed that the servants' _idvixal_s looked at Fegali in awe. I stored that information away for later. _–We, however, do not believe in servitude. We each pull our own weight. As long as the Xarmix delegates are on the ship, I'm afraid that you must act as servants. When they leave, you are free to be yourself. From this moment on, you are free people.-_

The four males traded surprised glances, their _idvixal_s showing similar expressions of shock on their faces. _–Free, my lady?-_ the black male asked. This ice-blue eyes were wide in shock.

I smiled in the human and Xarmix way. _–Free_.- I repeated firmly. _–Just…for the duration of their stay, you have to act as servants. Other than that, though, you're free to stay aboard the ship. If you want to, you can even learn a trade.-_

Their fur rippled in surprise and shock. Even their _idvixal_s appeared surprised. K'xarnxil smiled at me and I found myself smiling back. A knot that I didn't know existed in my chest fell apart. I found myself thinking after that, as I watched the former servants process my news.

Was this how Mother felt when she saved me and 'Gali? I like to think so. I would never know, now. I can never ask her.

K'xarnxil came over and hugged me gently. Seranxil fluttered her wings and shifted as if unsure of what to do. It was taboo and unnatural for an _idvixal_ to touch another person that was not an _idvixal_ or their own partner. Fegali stroked the short bit of mane that extended partially down my spine, trying to soothe my tortured thoughts.

_-My lady,-_ the calico male thought, interrupting my own ruminations. I turned to look at him. _–I am called K'sarisk. My _idvixal_ is Mnemon. I owe you a debt greater than my own life and that of my _idvixal_ for giving us our freedom.-_ he bowed low to me and I stepped forward quickly, pulling him up sharply.

_-You are free, K'sarisk, and you Mnemon.-_ I told them firmly, addressing his _idvixal_ directly. Mnemon, a creature like a winged wolf with a horse's neck looked mightily surprised that I did. _–You owe me nothing. If your honor prevents you from doing so, pass forward this legacy. Do what you feel is right and just.-_

The other Xarmixkealans in the room stared at me in surprise. I lifted the edge of my tunic and showed them the scarred mark in my flesh on my back. _–My adopted Mother saved me from this. She did what I am doing for you: giving you a chance when no one else would. She's dead now.-_ I nearly cried saying it out loud, but it needed to be said. _–I'm following in her footsteps by doing this. By doing what she taught me.-_

The fur along my back twitched as one of them touched the mark. I looked over my shoulder and found that it was K'sarisk. The others looked unnerved. _–What does it say?-_ he asked, stepping back.

I released my hold on my tunic's hem and let it fall over the mark once more. _–What any other binding mark says: that I am the property of the name engraved in my flesh.-_

The black flattened his ears, bright blue eyes fiery with indignation. _–What happened to your master?-_

_-He is my master no longer. My adopted Mother killed him._-

This had them shifting, flicking their ears. I could tell that they were satisfied, even grateful of what Mother had done. The brown tabby tilted his head to the side. Though it was obvious the calico was in charge, it seemed as if he was the oldest and wisest of the group for all he looked as young as K'xarnxil and I were. His _idvixal_, a strange beast that looked like a neck-less dog covered with eyes of all sizes, two double-elbowed arms, no visible mouth or nose, and a tail tipped in a bunch of serpent-like tentacles terminating in small eyes, sat down and blinked its two largest eyes at me while the eyes on his tail flashed around curiously. _–My name is M'kil. My _idvixal_ is Roghvander_.- he said at last. _–I knew your mother, but only for a short time. She did what your adopted mother did for you and freed me from a cruel master.-_ I realized then why he had an _idvixal_ covered in eyes: he was blind, his foci were lost in the milky white depths of his eyes.

The black nodded, flicking an ear toward M'kil respectfully. His blue eyes were fierce. Of all of them he was the largest, with broad shoulders and powerful arms. _–I have no doubt in my mind that they will try something against you.-_

The tabby glanced at his fellow. _–I agree,-_ he murmured. While not as large as the blue-eyed black male, he was massive as well and towered over me, K'xarnxil, M'kil, and their _idvixals_. They were nearly as tall as Fegali. _–You should have one of us with you at all times.-_

I glanced between them in the human way, turning my head back and forth. The black male glanced at the orange tabby. He stepped forward. _–I am D'vinkin. I have no _idvixal_.-_

Indeed, beside D'vinkin's side there was no alien creature he had bound his soul and mind to. I wondered how old he was. He must have been younger than me to have not gone through the agonizing pain yet… I knew exactly what sort of creature would suit D'vinkin.

He continued, watching me carefully with his bright blue eyes. Autobot-blue. _–I will remain with you as a bodyguard, if your _idvixal_ permits.-_

I felt Fegali shift behind me. _'I admit that I feel strange allowing him so close to you.'_ He admitted at last. _'But we have vastly different duties and I cannot be with you all the time. It would be good to have him near to protect you from Xarmix threats while I protect you from Decepticon threats.'_

D'vinkin looked surprised that I translated exactly what Fegali said to him, as if I had already broken a major faux pas. I probably did, but that was how things were done on the _Jossine_. At last he gave a slight inclination of his head, a half bow, and thanked Fegali. _–Very well,­-_ he said.

Fegali was looking at the other Xarmix males. _'We need to find them jobs.'_ He told me. _'Menial ones for now, but trades later.'_

'_That is for later,'_ I told him gently. _'There are always menial tasks to be done around the ship. I'm sure Amina would appreciate a nice cleaning.'_

'_Indeed,'_ he replied.

So I put them to work after learning the orange tabby's name (it was T'favril, and his _idvixal_ was Umnekka). M'kil was good at cleaning, able to find the delicate cracks in which dust and grit could be housed in anything I pointed him and his _idvixal_ to. T'favril was good at lifting heavy loads, and K'sarisk had a good memory, and could move anything back to the places where they were supposed to be in. I turned them loose in an old storeroom that hadn't been cleaned for a long while. K'xarnxil, being able to speak English (to a certain extent) and also read (also to an extent) volunteered himself and Seranxil to be my temporary assistant.

That done, I walked with Fegali and D'vinkin toward the cafeteria. _–We'll need to stop near the planet Librekhar.-_ I told them both. Fegali glanced at me, a slight smirk across his face. As I entered the rec. room, I called it in with Amina.

* * *

When I returned to my quarters with D'vinkin (Fegali was out working with Coby on something), I found manuscript blinking at me from my computer. D'vinkin noticed this and glanced at the screen. _–What is that?-_ he asked curiously.

So I told him. I told him how Mother died and how I planned on remembering her. He was silent for a long while, peering with one foci at me and the other at the screen. He blinked.

In Xarmix culture, death was an easy thing to get over. You live, you die, that's it. End of story. It may because of my unusual upbringing that gave me such a difficult time in getting over death. The death of a crewmate was painful for me, even more so if I knew them very well, as I had known Mother. It took D'vinkin a few moments to get used to the idea that I was still hurting from Mother's death, even now, nearly three months after the fact.

_-That is very noble,-_ he said at last. _–I have a feeling that it will take a little while for me to get used to your alien quirks.-_ he added gently, a Xarmix smile tilting his eyes upward slightly.

I smiled back at him in both the Xarmix and human way and sat down. I had a lot of work ahead of me. Behind me, I could hear D'vinkin settling down behind me to watch.

I opened the next data cube and plugged it into the computer.


	2. My Captain

**Why did I change the title? Because I could. (and because calling the story _Numb_ was kind of lame)**

**Why did I give Blade a tail blade? Because it's smexy. :3 And I actually _did_ test to see what sound it would make. I was swinging a kitchen knife around. Mom went nuts, lol.**

**Inspired by _O Captain My Captain_ by Walt Whitman. :3**

**Warning(s): Flutter's a bitch. We don't see much of it now, though.**

* * *

_5 years after the Battle of Autobot City:_

_Earth Time: 2010 A.D._

The Minicon chattered to herself, poking her head out from the branches of the tree she hid in. Thus far she had remained unseen and she wanted to keep it that way. She knew of the Autobot-Decepticon war, yes, but that didn't mean she wanted any part in it.

Of course, if she had to choose, she would join the Autobots, but even then there's a pretty low chance of her choosing at all. The little not-mechanical beings were getting closer. She stuck to the shadows and leapt from tree to tree, away from everybody.

* * *

The day wasn't going so well for Bradley "Rad" White. It certainly was _not_. Not only did he practically fail his math quiz, but he was being chased by a robot three or four times his size.

Both of them, though, were chasing the little racecar Minicon that danced just beyond them, just out of their reach though by then the humans had stopped chasing the Minicon and were more concerned with getting away from Demolisher.

The Minicon zipped around a corner formed by rock formations and led the humans into a small cave, one that Demolisher couldn't reach in even if he tried. And he did try.

Beeping rapidly, the Minicon motioned for them to follow him and together they raced through the maze of small caves just barely large enough for them to run through. They burst out of the caves and into a sticky marsh. The Minicon paused and motioned for them to continue following him. He pointed to what looked like a small island beyond the mists and beeped insistently that the area he was pointing to was the safest place for them at that moment.

Tired, scared, and confused, they followed the Minicon's lead reluctantly, sloshing through the thick marsh. "Are you the Minicon we're looking for?" Carlos asked, huffing as he struggled to pull his leg out of the clinging muck.

Their guide twisted his head to look at them and beeped that he could possibly be, but it didn't matter anyway because in any case they were both being hunted at the present moment. Such inconsequential thoughts – and questions – could wait for later.

"Where are we going?" Alexis asked.

The Minicon told them that they were heading for safety, and that at the moment they didn't need to know any more. At last they reached the small island and the Minicon led them perpendicular to their original path, following the thin path of the sandy island. Through the trees they could see a muddy road, where a mud-splattered humvee sat waiting.

The vehicle's front tires turned toward them in acknowledgement. "Hey, Beat." He – it was obviously male – greeted. The Minicon trilled his own greeting. "Let's be off then," he added before the Minicon could say anything more. "Will you ride on yours or join me?" he asked, addressing the humans while opening a door in suggestion. "We need to move quickly before Blade gets worried."

"We're not going anywhere if you're not an Autobot." Alexis said bravely. The vehicle was quiet for a moment.

"I was a former Autobot." He said softly. "I quit after my mate was killed. That's all I will tell you on that subject. I would rather die than ally myself with the Decepticons, and that's all you need to know. Those that were chasing you are drawing closer while you decide."

"I'll ride Sureshock, if that's all right with you," Carlos said as his Minicon transformed. The other kids nodded their agreement.

The door closed. "As you wish. Do keep up; I don't want to drop back to get you." The humvee drove on, engine a low rumble. The children and their Minicons rode after them.

"What's your name?" Rad asked, coming up beside the back door.

"Name's Jazz." Was the reply.

"That sounds like an odd name, no offense." Alexis said. "So far we've heard of Megatron, Demolisher, Starscream, Optimus Prime, Red Alert, Hot Shot, but never anything so…" she didn't want to say _trivial_ for fear of insulting the former Autobot. "Different." She finished lamely.

The humvee was quiet for a while. "There used to be a lot," he said. "I wasn't the only one. I knew Brawn and Prowl for a long time. Huffer was a good friend of mine."

"Wait. Let me send Laserbeak out and let Prime know where we are."

The Minicon trilled beside them that if they stopped for too long, the Decepticons would find them. "Beat's right," Jazz told them. "I don't mind kicking 'Con can, but it would be unwise to do so when we're so far away from help."

"Right." Rad said though he released Laserbeak anyway. Jazz didn't seem to mind either way, so long as they kept moving. Jazz splashed through a shallow mud puddle, spraying Carlos with thick, smelly mud.

As the boy sputtered, the sound of a rumbling tank broke the half-silence of the woods. "We have to keep moving." Jazz said tightly. They picked up the pace until they came to more even ground, a less pot-hole ridden road. After much debate, the kids climbed aboard Jazz, wincing as their muddy feet and that of their Minicons brushed against his relatively clean interior.

Beat scrambled in last as they glimpsed Megatron through the trees. Jazz's tires splashed and kicked up mud as he leapt forward, zipping around the sharp curves of the roads with an ease that told of long practice.

"If you can get back to the other Autobots, they can take care of them." Alexis suggested, watching in trepidation as Cyclonus crested the massive trees around them.

"Blade would kill me if they caused undue damage to the trees." Was the tense reply. "Better yet, I think she'd go after them. Let's chance it." The wheel jerked to the right at the next fork and they rumbled over the rocky ground on a path barely large enough for Jazz to drive. Branches slapped the kids' faces, but they decided not to complain but merely duck down and take it; Jazz seemed to be enduring much worse than they were.

They were jerked as Jazz zipped around the corner and skidded to a stop near a group of rocks. The rocks exploded in a shower of purple fire and pebbles as Jazz spun madly. When he stopped, two tanks were facing them down.

"Well. It seems that I have found myself an Autobot." The first tank drawled in a familiar sneer as the humans stared in horror. "And what's this? He's carrying the Autobot fleshlings and our Minicon."

Alexis, who sat beside Beat, found that he sat tensely with his optics trained on the tanks, shaking minutely. "It's okay," she whispered, patting his arm.

The Minicon glanced at her quickly and he beeped that they should get out of Jazz in case he had to transform quickly.

"What good would that do, man?" Carlos whispered, eyes wide with terror. "One shot and we're dead."

Beat told them that Blade wouldn't let that happen to them. Alexis ignored Carlos and climbed carefully out of Jazz's interior. She was apprehensive to notice that Megatron and Demolisher's turrets rotated an iota to train on all of them fully.

Rad and the Minicons followed, then Carlos when he decided that hiding behind Jazz was better than being shot first. While all this was going on, Jazz spoke.

"_Your_ Minicon? That I doubt. He belongs to himself and allays only to those he chooses." The former-Autobot said firmly.

"How touching," Megatron drawled. "You sound so much like that pathetic leader of yours, Optimus Prime."

Alexis caught a glimpse of orange through the thick trees. "Jazz," she whispered to the back end of the humvee. "How well can you catch?"

The Minicon beeped that he could catch better than one would think. Jazz said nothing as he transformed, slipping into a battle-ready crouch.

Megatron and Demolisher transformed as well, both training their weapons on the former-Autobot. "It's a shame that no one will get here in time to see you die."

Suddenly, Jazz started laughing. "I could about say the same for you." He said, slipping out of his tense crouch and into a more relaxed one. "You don't know what's coming right at you, do you?"

The Decepticon Leader's optics narrowed dangerously. "You are in no position to be pulling bluffs."

Jazz's laugh turned cold. "I'm pulling no bluffs." He said. "You killed my mate. And as for my friend Blade, you killed _her_ mate. Her friends. Her brother. _And_ her son." The humans winced at the list of losses. "I can assure you that she has been itching to catch you where you are right now."

"Do you think we're stupid?" Demolisher interrupted. "There's no one there."

Megatron made a low humming sound. "Indeed. Now, Autobot, do you have any last words?"

Jazz gave a sudden, murderous grin. "I do, as a matter of fact." The next words he shouted, filling the hollow with sound. "Blade!"

After a moment there was a sudden sound, like the sound of a stick swinging through the air, the same _shwoop_ing noise. The sound ended in a sharp _clang_, as if a metal object struck another metal object: two pieces of Megatron's turret fell to the ground with dull _thunk_s. Like an old horror movie there was a low growling from the gloom of the trees, a flash of golden optics flaring in the darkness before it disappeared.

Demolisher fell with a cry as some invisible force slammed into his back, digging deep grooves into his armor before the force was removed. Megatron was next. He was bowled over by that same invisible force, of which continued to dig invisible grooves into his armor. A row of punctures in the shape of a parabola appeared on his shoulder and he cried out in obvious pain. He jerked as the small punctures widened and he began to sink into the mud.

Jazz caught the humans' attention. "Run." He whispered, pointing to an opening in the trees. "Keep running that way. I'll send Blade out to find you if the Autobots don't."

Cyclones appeared then and diverted Jazz's attention. The humans ran with their Minicons beside them. Beat remained loyally with Jazz. Soon the sounds of battle faded into non-existence as the forest swallowed up all sound of the battling titans. The humans continued on, forcing themselves down the muddy path.

After a long moment they stopped to rest, panting. A low mist had covered the forest, and they didn't dare move forward.

The brush moved and a shadow disturbed the mist around them. The Minicons pushed them against a tree and settled into a protective crescent around them. A low, sibilant hissing filled the air around them as the shape solidified into a dark panther. It looked surprised to see them and snarled as the hissing sound grew louder.

The bark of the aging tree was disturbed and a piece fell on Alexis. She looked up. An anaconda was above her, the source of the hissing.

_Shwoomp!_

She screamed as the severed body of the snake convulsed and fell from the tree, spurting blood. The panther was gone when she looked back, and as she looked around for it, found deep gouges in the earth as if a prehistoric dinosaur had walked there recently.

The mists clung to a shape nearby and she forced her eyes to see as much of it as she could. It was massive, she knew, perhaps as tall as many of her Autobot friends. It had a bestial shape, a quadruped rather than a biped. She didn't know if she was relieved or not.

She mustered her courage. The boys were just noticing the snake and at the moment, she was the calmest. Even the Minicons were on edge and didn't see the misted shape.

"Are you Blade?" she asked bravely.

Light and mist rippled. As if a blanket was pulled off of it, the shape was revealed slowly. Four long, powerful legs ending in powerful golden claws. Deep hindquarters and thick forelegs, with a thick though long body. A long tail ending in two blades; they looked as if the creature had stolen two of the Grim Reaper's scythes and had painted them a lively gold-yellow-silver. The blood at the tip of the blades told her that this was the thing that had saved her and had killed the anaconda, and what had severed Megatron's turret. Last to appear was the head and neck. It had a long, slender though powerful neck, almost serpentine in its flexibility. Its head was thick at the nose but wedge-shaped, like a horse's. Beneath its feral gold optics was a spur and flap of armor that ended in a sharp point like a tiny elephant's tusk.

The draconic creature regarded them, tail swishing slightly like an indecisive cat. The humans gulped, and then noticed the small Minicon perched on its massive shoulders. It looked like it had just awakened, or had been the Minicon they were looking for. It fluttered its wing struts as they stared and whistled in a low, sonorous tone. Like a parrot, or a macaw.

Highwire spoke, asking the Minicon if the creature was friendly. The macaw-Minicon replied in its low, sonorous whistle that Blade was only friendly if you weren't a Decepticon.

"We aren't," Rad said, trying to sound brave. "We're with the Autobots."

The macaw-Minicon said nothing for a moment, patting the great neck he was sitting on. He told them that the Autobots were looking for them, and that Jazz had sent Blade after them, hoping to find them safely. He added that Blade knew the forest well and could lead them back faster than it would take for them to retrace their steps.

"There was just a…a panther here."

The macaw-Minicon replied that the panther saw what happened to the anaconda and surmised correctly that there was a greater predator nearby and thus removed itself from the dangerous area.

"Oh," Carlos said lamely.

Blade was turning, seeming to point off to their right with her great head. The macaw-Minicon beeped that the direction she pointed in would be a good direction to start heading in, and that it was beginning to get dark.

Alexis shivered. "I don't want to be stranded out here in the dark."

The strange Minicon replied that it was just as well that Blade wasn't too inclined to have to look after them through the night. He added that it wouldn't help that the Autobots would be so worried that they would begin to look for them, thus getting themselves lost in the process. The entire cycle would infuriate Blade even more, and she was irritable enough as it was.

Rad couldn't help but give a little laugh at that. She seemed so…human!

Together they set off into the forest, the humans following warily at first, but once they saw how well off their own Minicons were with the massive creature, they approached Blade and began to walk beside her.

The Minicon hoped down and walked beside them, grimacing as the mud splattered against his bright blue armor. He explained when they asked that he liked the colours of the macaw and copied them on his form, even though it was unlikely he would be able to duplicate its form as his alternate mode.

"You like macaws?" Carlos asked, surprised.

The newcomer replied that he liked all animals. Before the war he had been the partner of a zoologist who studied the different animals in Cybertron and their natural habitats. He had always enjoyed watching animals and observing them. He had a special appreciation, however, for the brighter-colored animals.

Alexis blinked. "Well, that makes sense that not all the Cybertronians were warriors before the war started."

"Hey, what's your name?" Rad asked.

The Minicon beeped that his name was Sundance, but wasn't too fond of it. Everyone usually called him Flutter.

Carlos chuckled. "Hey, dude, I don't blame you at all. I wouldn't want to be called Sundance. It sounds like a _girl's_ name."

Flutter raised a brow ridge at the boy but said nothing, lifting and lowering his shapeless wing struts. Blade broke through the last of the brush and when they stepped through the mists, they found the Autobots in a clustered circle, waiting.

"Rad! Carlos! Alexis!" the great leader sounded distinctly relieved to see them safe and sound. "What's that? Is that blood?"

Alexis paused and looked down at herself. She was splattered in dried and wet blood. She smiled sheepishly up at her big friend. "Anaconda blood. Blade killed it before it could attack me."

Blade huffed when the Autobots looked at her, and Flutter edged closer behind her large foreleg. "I'm afraid we can't leave just yet." Red Alert lamented. "We seemed to have lost the comrade who helped us."

"Jazz?" Rad asked, looking shocked for a moment. Blade's movements stilled completely and she became at once like a statue.

Optimus Prime nodded, peering off into the gloom. "He chased after the Decepticons as they left and we haven't seen him since."

Carlos turned to Blade. "Hey." The massive creature turned her head and regarded him shrewdly. "Can you find him?"

Flutter told him that Blade could find anything she wanted to if she had the scent, and she knew Jazz's scent by heart, so to speak. Blade knelt and Flutter climbed astride her massive shoulders. Alexis scrambled up too, before anyone could stop her. Laserbeak was folded in her hand and tucked in her pocket.

"I'll go with them." She said. Blade was frozen once more.

Optimus Prime looked unsure. "I'm not sure it's safe for you guys."

The macaw-Minicon told him bluntly that Blade would rather kill herself with her own tail than allow anyone in her care to be killed or fatally injured.

"Hardly a reassuring thought," Hot Shot muttered.

The Autobot leader sighed. "All right," he said. "Be careful. We will follow."

No sooner had he finished saying 'all right' had Blade been off. Alexis found her breath stolen by the speed in which they traveled through the brush. Laserbeak beeped in her pocket, transmitting her location to the other Autobots. They were forced to use a wider, flatter path or a road to get to Jazz quickly. Flutter caught her hands when Blade leapt over a fallen tree (it was huge!) and jolted them. The Minicon pressed her hands around his waist and wrapped her fingers around the collar-like structure at the base of Blade's neck.

The scenery flashed by as Blade ran, her gait reminding Alexis of riding a horse. She allowed a flash of a smile before being jolted to a stop as Blade skidded into a clearing. In the center was a rocky formation, next to which a fallen tree as stretched out, branches tickling or stabbing the ground as per their nature. Through the hovering greenery, Alexis caught a glimpse of forest-green armor.

Blade knelt, shaking with what Alexis felt as a fearful eagerness to free her friend from his natural prison. Leaves rustled and Beat pulled himself from the grasping branches of the tree, trilling rapidly that Jazz was injured. He ran to Blade and hugged her around her large foreleg, trilling his distress.

Alexis pulled out Laserbeak and held him in her hands. "Find the Autobots," she whispered to him. The mechanical orange bird flew off. "Blade?" She called louder. The creature looked up from nosing Beat gently and trained her feral golden optics on Alexis. The human girl gulped then pressed on. "Can you cut the branches on the top and sides?" she asked, pointing to the tree.

Blade blinked and stepped forward, striking quickly with her tail. The air was filled with dull _shwoop_s and the sound of the branches being cut. When Blade stopped, Alexis, Beat, and Flutter moved them quickly out of the way and Blade resumed her cutting until the tree on the top and sides were clear. Now all that was holding it up were the branches facing downward and the rock formation. At Alexis's suggestion, Blade began to slice large chunks from the tree to lighten the load. Thick resin pooled at the slices.

Hot Shot and Red Alert rolled into the clearing, paint splattered in thick mud from the road. Hot Shot transformed, watching Blade for a while before pulling out his rifle. "Why not just shoot it?" he asked as Red Alert transformed as well, inspecting the resin-soaked mess.

"Hot Shot, no!" Alexis cried, echoing Red Alert as Blade roared. She leapt between Hot Shot and the tree, stumbling when the shot hit her point-blank in the chest. Blade stumbled backwards a bit, hindquarters nudging the tree. "Blade!" she cried out again when the creature's tail rose like a scorpion about to strike.

_ShwoopThak! Shwoop!_

Her blade knocked the rifle from Hot Shot's stunned hands then returned in a flash to press the razor-sharp tips against the tender plating of his neck. The yellow Autobot twisted his head slightly then froze when the blades tapped his neck. "You gonna help me here, Red?" he demanded.

"We need to cut more of the tree before it could be moved." The elder said calmly. "If you will assist me, Blade?"

Blade snarled but removed her blade from Hot Shot's throat, instead moving toward the tree. She struck with her deadly tail and soon the tree was easily able to move away from Jazz's prone form. At once the creature nudged his still form gently, a low growl building in her throat when Red Alert approached.

"He only wants to help," Jazz murmured, reaching up weakly to tug gently on the gold-silver spurs framing her fierce face. The humvee turned his head slightly to look at Red Alert as he approached slowly. "She'll be fine." He chuckled when Blade nipped at his hand. "She's just worried."

Red Alert continued to creep slowly forward, but when Blade made no other movement to attack, he began to look over the mech's wounds.

Jazz turned to Blade. _"Go. I know you want to check on the trees."_

Blade snorted and nipped at his shoulder. _"No. You're injured."_ She replied. _"I will stay."_

"_It will be all right. It's not _too_ serious."_ The mech winced as Red Alert poked a tool into his abdomen. _"Take your friend with you,"_ he said, nodding to the new Minicon. _"Surely looking over the trees won't take too long?"_

Blade grumbled, giving him a harder nip on his arm. _"You're all I have left."_ She growled. _"Remember that." _Flutter climbed astride her back and they trotted out of the clearing.

"What was that about?" Red Alert asked.

Jazz chuckled weakly. "I just told her to check out the damage." He said.

"What's your designation?" Hot Shot asked uneasily.

"Name's Jazz, former-Autobot." Was the reply. "I defected after the Battle of Autobot City, when the Decepticons killed my bondmate." He tilted his head to look at Red Alert. "So how's it lookin', doc?"

Red Alert glanced at his patient. "It looks pretty bad, I won't lie. You got a lot of sap in your system, and if we don't clean it out soon, then it will clog up your pumps."

Jazz winced. "A friend of mine had that happen. Hurts like slag."

"Indeed." Red Alert replied.

Hot Shot shifted again. "Sideswipe, warp us back."

"_Roger,"_ the cheerful Autobot replied and after a painful pulling, they appeared in the Warp Room.

"Hot Shot!" Red Alert snapped, angry despite himself. "I could have killed Jazz!"

Optimus walked in at that moment, a frown marking his face. "Hot Shot, that was really reckless of you to call in for a warp when our injured comrade isn't stabilized." He glanced at the stasis-locked mech.

"He was an Autobot," Hot Shut muttered sullenly. "I thought we could take him back already."

The leader sighed and rubbed his helm. "Next time, wait for approval. You could have killed him."

"He may wish he was dead when he wakes up." Red Alert mumbled. Nobody heard him, too busy with carrying Jazz's still body to the med-bay.

"What makes you say that?" Sideswipe asked softly, having been the only one to hear.

The older transformer shook his head. "He was forced into stasis lock by the warp, and whatever links or bonds he had to that creature in Brazil will be cut for the moment. When he wakes up, it will rush back to life."

Sideswipe winced. "Sorry," he began. Red Alert waved him off.

"It's all right. Just keep quiet about it." The younger blinked in surprised then nodded, accepting the order and walking away.

* * *

Blade growled when they returned to the clearing to find the Autobots gone.

"_Now what?"_Flutter asked.

The other growled low. _"I'll go after them."_

The Minicon snorted, an odd sound. _"Good luck with that."_

Blade paced about and shook her head, tail lashing dangerously. _"What of you?"_ she asked in a deceptively calm voice.

Flutter made a face. _"I'm not going with you so I can fight a meaningless war."_

The other made a low barking sound of laughter. _"I would never ask you to do something like that."_ Blade paused in her speech but not her movements, shaking her head again. _"I need to tie up a few loose ends here. Then I will be off."_ She said. _"If you come with me, I will fix you so that you can look like a macaw."_

The Minicon snorted again. _"Impossible."_ There was a dubious note, though, and Blade stopped her pacing.

"_I have done it before. It requires a secret technology that I have knowledge of but I assure you that I can make you look like a macaw."_ Blade tilted her head to the side as Flutter thought. _"I can give you feathers,"_ she added softly.

Flutter snarled. _"Fine,"_ she snapped. _"But I won't link up with you."_

Blade snorted. _"I wouldn't dream of asking you."_ She snapped back. Flutter climbed astride her back and they disappeared into the forest.


	3. Our Fearful Trip is Done

**Sorry it took so long. I blame Happy Aquarium on Facebook. **

**Warning(s): abstract poem near the end which seems to have no real purpose to the story**

_

* * *

_

Present day:

I leaned back in my chair. D'vinkin was at my side in a flash, blue eyes amused._--We have been trying to reach you for a while.-_ He said.

I blinked. _–We?-_ I echoed stupidly. My nose twitched as I picked up Coby's scent. Ah. _–Oh. Oops.-_

D'vinkin chuckled and moved aside as I stood and stretched. Coby grinned at me from his seat on my bed. "Sorry to disturb you, Narz." He said. "I haven't been waiting long. I just came to tell you that you got a message on screen from Earth." I couldn't help it. My brow rose. I didn't like it when people gave me half-assed data. Coby chuckled. "Just testing you, Narz. It's government liaison Alexis."

I blinked again. What would she want with me? Coby shrugged when I voiced my question. "I'm just the messenger," he reminded me and I wrinkled my nose.

"All right," I said, standing slowly and stretching. "I'll be out in a minute."

Coby grinned. "Okay."

D'vinkin watched him leave. _–Will we go?-_ he asked. I was reminded then that he was rather young and awed by the ship.

I smiled. "Yeah," I said out loud. "Let's go."

Throughout the trip, I felt his tension behind me. I glanced back and found that most of his fur on his chest and shoulders had risen, revealing pale tan under-fur that was hidden when his fur was flat. When we reached the communications room, I could tell without looking behind me that D'vinkin's foci were swinging around in a dizzying circle, flashing from object to object in abject awe.

Shaking my head in amusement, we entered the room. Rarely ever was the communications room empty, as there was always _someone_ in there doing their work while talking to Amina. To my surprise, there was no one. Amina's hologram smiled at me. She was toying with the Xarmix race now, a strange mix-up of colors that didn't seem quite feasible. But then again, perhaps all Kalinma females were like this. The only other Kalinmas I had met were Firebird and Jumper, and they were both male.

"It's a private call," she said. I immediately picked up on the vocal differences: she didn't have my accent. But then again, her voice was coming from the speakers and she made her mouth move in an echo of what she said. "I asked Miko and Coby to leave for the moment. At least until the call is done."

I nodded and walked to the console. Through one foci I saw Amina's hologram motion for D'vinkin to move on the side. I sent him a burst of thought, asking him to humor her and play a Xarmix game similar to chess. He grinned and set about playing on a console nearby. Immediately he was fully immersed in the game and Amina's hologram winked at me before disappearing.

Her face appeared on the console before me. "I'll open the message now." She said cheerfully. As her face faded, I remembered that no, I had also met Flitter, who didn't explore so much with holograms. So it wasn't a Kalin female thing. Maybe it was just Amina. She _was_ kind of strange.

In a moment Alexis's face appeared on the screen. Time had favored her somewhat, giving her looks of one who was younger than her own age of 35. I found it amusing that we were both the same age. She didn't seem to notice that I was online, gazing somewhere below the monitor. I guessed she was doing work while she waited. So I spoke first.

"Intelligence Officer Narzenim, here." I said. What else could I say? I had only met her all of twice, and even then it was like 'Hi, I'm Narzenim.' Awkward pause. 'Hi, I'm Alexis. Uh, what _are_ you?' 'An alien.' 'Okay.'

Okay, maybe not _that_ crude (she _was_ a liaison after all), but still.

She jumped up in surprise and blinked owlishly at me. Amina told me quietly that it was late at night in the area Alexis was in. "Uh, hi." She said awkwardly. "I don't mean to be rude, but…"

I blinked. "You didn't ask for me?" I was surprised. Why else would I be called here?" Amina's multi-colored eyes and foci stared back at me. "You asked for Captain Windtreader."

Alexis looked embarrassed. "Yes, actually."

Now I frowned. "Have you had any contact with Optimus?"

She looked surprised then shook her head. "No, I haven't." she said.

I glared at Amina and she glared back at me. I sighed and rubbed the fur under my eyes, a half-human gesture. I leaned down and put my elbows on the console in front of me and folded my hands. "Captain Windtreader is dead." I said heavily. "I'm sorry to say it so bluntly, but…there's no other way to say it."

Alexis looked away immediately and swallowed heavily. Swallowing back tears. But one leaked and my hearts sank when I saw it glitter in the light of her monitor. I truly did not like to make people sad. "How?" she croaked, voice tinny. "When?"

"She…" I sighed heavily. "Three months ago," I began. "There was…" I gulped. "A disturbance with the Decepticons."

Her lips made a small O. She understood that much at least. Then I did something she didn't expect: I transformed. I did it slowly so I wouldn't scare her, but even so she looked a little nauseous, a little scared. I didn't blame her.

My eyes shrank and became my dim human ones, my nose inflating like a balloon until it was a human shape before shrinking back into my sinuses; a Xarmix nose was longer than a human's. Like melting wax my fur flattened into smooth human skin, my light grey fur becoming pale skin; my dark spots became light tan freckles. Long limbs became comparatively short human ones, claws becoming round fingernails. My ears danced down the sides of my head, becoming deaf, round structures capable of only limited motion. My tear ducts formed and filled.

"It happened…just after a rendezvous with the _Atlantis_." I continued once I was able to. Once I had a human tongue and less of an accent.

Alexis nodded in understanding. "Optimus's ship."

I nodded in reply. "Optimus's ship." I echoed in confirmation. "We delivered tools and stayed long enough for Coby – our engineer – to check on their engines." I gulped. It was suddenly hard to speak. "We turned back and were on our way to Earth. We passed the planet Charr. Two solar systems away from Cybertron, and nearly three galaxies from Earth." I closed my eyes. "They snuck up on us. Our small shuttle _Shadow Flash_ went to ask for assistance from the _Atlantis_."

Awareness and understanding dawned on her. "He thought she could handle them." Ah. So she knew Mother's relationship with Prime.

"When _Shadow Flash_ insisted that assistance was needed, he dragged his…his feet and by the time they arrived…the fighting was over." I sucked in a breath. Behind my closed eyes, I saw and felt and smelled the horrors of that day.

_Windtreader's graceful tail arced through the air as she clawed at the face of a nameless Decepticon, face alight with a fury she reserved only for those who threatened those she held dear._

_A crash and a pain in my chest as the Decepticon's spark shattered on that blade. The blade swung faster than I could blink and did the robot equivalent of a hamstring on another Decepticon. Fegali, face cold, stood in front of me and fired point-blank into the spiny face of a Decepticon that looked a lot like a cross between a porcupine and a leopard._

_Mother reached out and scooped us up, bounding in her long-legged stride away from the main battle. She dropped us – almost literally – in an empty room and turned. She cried out, face twisted in a silent scream as the Decepticon – a creature covered in dangerous blades sliced at her face and chest. Pink fluid splashed out and I screamed, feeling the burn for my mother as the Decepticon's blade jerked across her neck._

_Her own blades flashed and his neck was severed. Fegali shoved me toward a small duct and I scrambled in, wincing as I felt the entire ship's pains. That was why there was no place for a Xarmix in a battle. Amina's pain exploded ten-fold and I was suddenly sucked out into space. _

_I clapped my hands over my nose and mouth as I began to feel the icy grip of space. Where was Fegali?_

_A massive shape appeared against the grey hull of the _Jossine_, a form I recognized easily. My Mother. She kicked against the hull and drifted toward me. Her pink-stained hands wrapped around me and held me against her warm chest. Without her hands stopping the flow of precious fluids, her bright pink lifeblood made round little droplets as it drifted away. _

_She ripped her chest open and shoved me inside before squeezing it shut. Warmth encased me. Her spark and fuel pump fluttered against my awareness. _

_I felt everything she did. Her thoughts and mine were even. I felt the sickness deep within her synthetic veins. The darkness pulsing just beyond her physical awareness. I became a turbo-rat, safe within the confines of her mechanical womb. _

_My Mother was dying. She hid it so completely from us. From _Ratchet._ Her own bondmate. How or why she did that, I would never know. Her lifeblood continued to flow from her, and the glowing lines I saw with the dim eyes of the body I held began to fade. Her fuel pump echoed louder and more hollow with each fluttering beat. Her spark slowed its pulse and lost its white-hot glow. _

_Her thoughts weren't so much words as they were ideas. Visions. I'm still haunted by them at night._

_Mostly they were lamenting: how she didn't get to speak to Ratchet, to hug him, to kiss him. She lamented that she hadn't found the courage to speak to him. To say good-bye. _

_She was distressed that I would hear these last lamenting thoughts of me. But she would rather me hear them, when I was safe in her belly. When she would die but not me. _

_She was sad she had to die like this. She and Ranthanoss would rather die fighting, with blood on her claws and many wounds while defending those she held dear. But what could she hold more than her own daughter? Her own son?_

_I knew without looking, without searching through the web of thoughts and feelings and electric synapses that she was nearly gone. She knew it too. Her thoughts drifted to a fuzzy face, a fuzzy feeling in her belly. It wasn't me, but her true child. I felt his hatred for her as the life drifted from her body._

I will die then with your hatred burning me up even as this scourge devours me. Which is worse to die from, I wonder?

_The life fled from her. I was alone in the womb of a hollow husk of the creature that had been the closest thing I had to a mother._

* * *

_One week later:_

_Earth Time: 2010 AD_

Jazz opened his optics slowly, momentarily taken-aback at the bright lights. He groaned and pulled a hand up to cover his optics protectively, rubbing circles into the soft derma-plating to alleviate some of the pain.

_Ugh_ it hurt.

When he opened his optics next he first beheld Beat, then Red Alert peering down at him worriedly. He smiled weakly at his Minicon friend. "What a sight for sore eyes," he murmured, reaching out and poking Beat in the chest. His optics flashed up to Red Alert's. "So, doc? Am I good?"

Red Alert frowned, obviously disliking the nickname, though he answered anyway. "Yes, you're fine. You just need to rest for a few days."

"How long was I-" everything snapped back to him: the empty feeling of the bond he had with Prowl, memories of the battle, and the friendly bond he had with Blade.

When the swarming buzz of backlogged information subsided, Red Alert was still there, watching him worriedly. "You were out for nine days." He said quietly. "The pain you feel is from a premature warping before I had properly stabilized you."

Jazz gave a low rumble of laughter. "Man," he said weakly, allowing his head to flop back. "Blade must be throwing a fit."

Beat told Jazz that Blade hadn't come with them through the warp gate and the former-Autobot jerked his head up. He groaned at the sudden pain and disorientation but ignored it, gritting his dental plates together. "What?"

The Minicon explained quickly that shortly after Flutter and Blade left them in the clearing, Hot Shot called in the warp and they were gone. And no one wanted to go back to Brazil and look for Blade. He had checked.

"Many times," Red Alert added dryly, helping Jazz sit up slowly. "How are you feeling?"

"Like slag," Jazz said, holding his head. "My head feels like Blade kicked it."

Beat replied that it was likely from the return of awareness, or else the remaining pain from falling under a tree.

Jazz gave a pained chuckle. "You guys won't be letting me live that down, will ya?" he gave a soft groan as he swung his legs over the edge of the berth. "What I wouldn't give for Ratchet's bedside manner. Or Russ's strength."

Beat trilled that he shouldn't be getting up so soon though he didn't reinforce it, instead trying to support his friend as he swayed. "Beat's right," Red Alert said, frowning disapprovingly. "You shouldn't be getting up."

"I have to get outside." Jazz said insistently. "I have to stop Blade."

Red Alert frowned at him. "Blade is in Brazil, Jazz. We are in Arizona. Thousands of miles away."

"Which is better, doc? A fifty-ton dragon bustin' your door in or a walking wounded hobbling outside to meet said fifty-ton dragon to prevent her from bringin' the entire base down?" Jazz retorted, biting back another wince. When he slid his body off the berth, Red Alert caught him, a disapproving frown across his face.

"I doubt you're right, but I'll humor you." He grumbled. "Let's go."

Jazz gave a low bark of laughter. "If it was Ratchet takin' care o' me, I'd be welded to the berth by now. 'Course Blade wouldn't be so ornery if he was still alive."

"You knew Ratchet?" Red Alert asked, fighting to keep his voice level.

The former-Autobot laughed again. "He was a good friend o' mine." He said as they limped together down the halls. "I knew him back before the war when he was still an intern." He hesitated. "He was one of the reasons Blade is so savage now. She took his loss hard."

Red Alert was surprised at that. "Is she a pit-beast?"

Jazz shook his head. "Former, but it was more a cheating match than anything." He gave a weak chuckle as they reached the outer doors. "They fought once or twice in a match, but Blade always outsmarted the other beasts on her own."

The other took Jazz and sat him down on a piece of rock at the entrance. "See? Nobody's here."

"Not yet," Jazz replied. He shaded his optics and looked up at Red Alert. "So, doc? What's your name?"

"Red Alert," the other replied levelly. Jazz peered at him, raising a brow ridge. "Vector Sigma began to recycle names. I am well aware that I share a name with the famous Red Alert, security director." He made a face at that. "No one ever let me live that down. Everyone expected me to follow in his steps," he explained when Jazz made a curious voice.

Jazz chuckled dryly. "I know the feeling."

They sat together in companionable silence. Beat grew bored and leaned against Jazz's leg. "How long have you known Blade?" Red Alert asked tentatively.

The injured mech leaned back with a sigh. "A long time." He said. "We were friends for a while. She offered cheap medical care for the lower class back in Kalis. I was sparked blind and my family was too poor to pay for medical expenses, especially since I was particularly sickly as a sparkling. Blade – we called her Russ back then – stopped by and offered me a treatment for my blindness. I accepted and moved in with her. We met Ratchet – or at least _I_ did – a few stellar cycles later. After nearly a _vorn_, she left on a scientific vessel and didn't return until nearly four _vorns_ had passed. A stellar cycle after she left the Great War started. The Third one, mind."

Red Alert looked surprised. "She's sentient?"

Jazz laughed. "Of course. I speak to her in a beast-language, but she is actually very intelligent. When she went to the academy, she took classes in medicine and mechanics. She's a field medic though she's technically a ship captain right now."

His arm was grabbed in a surprised, desperate grip. "You have a ship?"

The other's smile disappeared and he shook his head solemnly. "After Blade went crazy, we traveled around a bit, but after a while she couldn't beat being separated from Earth. So we landed, Blade and I disembarked in Brazil, and the ship flew away. Our friends went to visit the refugees of their planet and help with repopulation and the preservation of their culture. They have our ship."

"Is there any way to contact them?" Red Alert asked urgently.

Jazz shook his head. "Not really. They're supposed to return after a little while. Maybe in a few months?" he shrugged.

Red Alert sighed and released his patient's arm. "From now?"

The other shrugged. "From now, maybe a month or so. I'd have to ask Blade when she gets here."

"I doubt she'd be coming in all honesty." Red Alert muttered.

"Nah, she's just over there." Jazz pointed to the plume of dust rising from the plateau across from them. "Not too long now."

Red Alert sat up quickly. "She _ran_ here?"

Jazz looked amused. "Yeah," he said, lips twisting into a wry grin. "As she was saying before she left, I'm all she has left. If I was to leave, she'd hunt my down to the ends of the universe."

The Autobot blinked. "It sounds like she loves you very much," he said softly.

"In her own way," Jazz replied. "For both of us our bondmates and many of our friends were killed, so we have that common ground between us. _And_ we were both friends before all that, so she is much more reluctant to leave me alone when she herself is alone."

Red Alert would have blushed if he was able to. "So, you're not…?"

Jazz shook his head. "'Course not. She's like a sister to me, just as I am like a brother to her. My bondmate was like a son to her, and her bondmate was as much a friend to me as she was."

"Oh," they waited for a bit in awkward silence as the plume of smoke grew larger and they were able to see the reddish armor that decorated Blade's sides and helm. Soon they could see the details of Blade herself, including the red, blue, and yellow-gold Minicon perched on her shoulders and the bulging bags over her shoulders. "What is she carrying?"

"Most likely our stuff," Jazz replied. "What little we took from the _Shadow Flash_. It wasn't much, mostly memoirs but it was enough that we don't want to leave it behind." He paused. "Especially her." He added quietly.

Blade was quickly approaching when Red Alert heard Jazz speak next. It was said quietly, almost reverently, and it wasn't until many years later that he understood why exactly the ex-Autobot said what he did.

"O Captain, my Captain! Our fearful trip is done," he intoned softly. "The ship has weathered every rack, the prize we sought is won, the port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting, while follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring."

Red Alert glanced at the other, watching the grey lips move as he spoke his poem-riddle. "But O heart! Heart! Heart! O the bleeding drops of red,"

The Autobot medic didn't have time to ponder the other's words as Blade skidded to a stop in front of them, armor shining in the sun though matted with dust from her travels. He noticed that parts of her armor was a bright scarlet and her blade was still stained with resin and blood from the last time they met.

Blade stepped forward and didn't seem to hear Jazz as he spoke the final words to his poem, pressing a hand against her nose in a gentle gesture. "While on the deck my Captain lies, fallen cold and dead."


	4. The Ship has Weathered Every Rack

He had always thought it strange that Blade had not set off the perimeter alarms. Jazz had always explained to him in turn that she was very sneaky. He ended it there.

"Hey Blade, can ya carry me in?" Blade growled and narrowed her golden optics at him. Jazz grinned unrepentantly. "You know me, always the worst patient to treat."

Blade snorted as if in agreement and bent her forelegs, tilting her body so that Jazz could pull himself astride her back. Red Alert assisted him cautiously, frowning when he noticed that Jazz was nearly twice his height when he was on Blade's shoulders. When he voiced his concerns about his teammates, Jazz waved them off. He told the medic that all he had to do was put his hand on Blade's spurs and she'd follow him.

For a moment, Red Alert thought that the ex-Autobot was crazy. Indeed, Blade was staring down at him as if daring him to try and touch the deadly spurs on either side of her face, just below her tooth-lined maw. After a moment, however, she lowered her head and tilted it to the side, as if offering him control.

Red Alert's fingers itched, wanting to touch the curved horn and feel if it was like organic horn or made purely out of metal. To see the extent of control Blade would allow before she struck him down with her deadly bladed tail. He took a careful hold of the curved spur and tugged; he was surprised to find that Blade followed willingly.

Jazz chuckled. "Toldja." He said cheerily. For the rest of the ride, he settled for humming a song cheerily, seemingly oblivious to Sideswipe's startled squeak at seeing Blade. (The younger 'bot hadn't been to Brazil and seen Blade in person; seeing her on the screen was one thing, and seeing her in person in all her Autobot-sized bulk was an entirely different matter.)

Sideswipe followed at a great distance away, careful of Blade's deadly spurs. Flutter grumbled and shifted, uneasy in the Autobot base. If Blade herself was uncomfortable, she didn't show it.

Red Alert was glad that no one that would spook Blade appeared, and they made it to the med-bay all right. As soon as Jazz had slipped off her back and Flutter had unloaded her bags, Blade curled up in a corner and promptly went to sleep.

Jazz chuckled as he eased his battered body back on to the berth. "She's tired," he explained. "Running for a week straight can wear on even her."

The medic looked worried. "Did she eat?"

Flutter grumbled that they didn't, and she had to make do with the ration bars stored in the bags. She continued that the world continued to shift, so used to the rocking motion of Blade's lope was she.

Red Alert found himself shaking his head while he watched the three unexpected guests in his med-bay slip into recharge. As he got to cleaning his free berths and tools, he noticed that Blade breathed like an organic animal. The deep breaths pulled into the massive bellow-like lungs of the creature soothed him, calming his rattled nerves. Eventually, his hands stopped shaking.

* * *

The next day, Blade was up and about though for a creature of her size, she was never in his way, and she didn't interfere with the state of things in his med-bay. Her eyes glowed brightly and with such intelligence that he was momentarily startled when he saw her.

"Uh," he found himself saying awkwardly. "Hi."

Blade merely blinked at him. Without answering she turned and sat beside Jazz's berth, humming. She seemed to be waiting for something, but if it was for Jazz to wake up or not, Red Alert wasn't sure. From what the unconscious ex-Autobot had said, she was extremely intelligent, and was a field medic at the least. She would know that his injuries would keep him out for a while. So what was she waiting for?

"Do you need something?"

Her bright golden gaze swung back to him. Deliberately she stretched, shaking her armor. Flecks of dust and dirt – dried chunks of mud, too – crackled along her spine.

"We have a wash-rack here," he offered. "And I can see if some of the Minicons and the kids would be willing to help you."

Blade offered him a soft sound like a growl. It took him a moment to realize that it was a purr. He relaxed slightly. Quickly he left. The kids were in the wash-racks to his right, helping Sideswipe get cleaned up. He was sure that they'd be willing to help.

When he brought the question up, they were very willing. It also seemed that Alexis had wanted to thank Blade for saving her from the anaconda, even if it was with a wash. Only Sideswipe had voiced the collective trepidation.

"Will she be all right with it?"

Red Alert didn't have an answer to that, but no sooner had the question hovered in the air than Blade herself walked in. The wash-racks were suddenly silent save for the drips of water and the rough sound of Blade's strange breath.

Predictably, it was Alexis who spoke. "Hey Blade." She said rather weakly. The fierce golden gaze swung to her.

Highwire trilled that Red Alert had just asked them to assist her. Sureshock added nervously that they would be willing to help wash her if she wanted to.

Then there was that sensation, that strange occurrence of watching Blade disappear. Like a blanket with the design of the room behind her was thrown over her, Blade disappeared in a light ripple. They noticed, though, that the dirt clung to her body, and rendered her mostly visible.

It didn't take a genius to understand what she was saying: she wanted to be clean so she could become invisible again. The blanket of her invisibility seemed to be yanked roughly off of her, and she blinked almost innocently at them.

Alexis glanced at the buckets of water strewn about, her eyes lingering on the dripping hose. "We should be able to manage," she said, forcing a smile for Blade. "We just finished Sideswipe. Why don't you go and sit down in that puddle over there?"

Blade obliged gracefully, curling up on her belly. Already some of the water was washing the dust off, Alexis noticed as she picked up the hose. The dragon-creature's armor rippled in what appeared to be surprise when the first spray of water hit her. Then she turned her head into the spray, shuttering her optics.

Alexis found herself laughing as the dragon shook herself out, spraying the onlookers with muddy water.

* * *

It took nearly an hour to clean Blade of all the dried muck on her armor, and the dragon-creature made it very easy for them to move around on her, stretching out complacently for them.

However, she did curl her tail around near her head. Her claws flicked out and snagged a rag from the pile of used, old rags.

"I can clean that for you," Rad suggested when he noticed that Blade was cleaning the curved blades herself.

Blade turned her head and in response, dropped a muddy towel over the blades. They were sliced in half near the point of her blades, even on the curved, outer portion.

"Oh my," Sideswipe said softly, watching the three strips of rag drop to the ground with wet _thump_s. Blade snorted in reply, returning to the cleaning of her tail blades. "Against my better judgment, how fast are you with that?"

The dragon-creature chuckled. In a flash of gold and dusty red, the two curved blades were brushing against the Autobot's throat. With a deep, rumbling chuckle, the blade was removed and curled around her forelegs where she continued to clean it with an almost religious patience.

Sideswipe found himself chuckling, half in fear and half in awe. "Wow." He said.

Carlos laughed. "That jus' what I was thinkin', dude!" he moved down the massive forearm and began to clean a dirtier spot on the dark red metal. "I betcha it's good in a fight, yeah?"

Blade chuckled again, cleaning the blades diligently. Sideswipe moved to scrub the plates of armor along the dragon's shoulders, hopping in surprise when Blade began to purr gently. The rest of the time spent cleaning was done in companionable, almost comfortable silence.

* * *

Red Alert glanced suspiciously at the doors. They had swished open, but had yet to close. Beat and the new Minicon (who told him that her name was Flutter and yes, she was actually female so shove off) didn't seem too concerned, but it worried the medic. Was Blade back, or was it some other threat? Were the doors malfunctioning?

Beat must have seen his curious look for he trilled that it was likely Blade returning to check up on Jazz.

"What if it's not?" Red Alert asked.

Flutter looked up irritably. She trilled that Blade was very secretive. And she left it at that so he should too.

Personally, Red Alert was stung by her irate attitude, and his patience was wearing very thin with her. It was very disconcerting, though, to see such a change in character for a Minicon. From the ones he'd experienced, even the Decepticon Minicons were rather gentle and innocent by nature. Not so with Flutter. She was the crabbiest, angriest, snarkiest Minicon he had ever had the displeasure to meet. She had to butt in and add her own two cents in (as the humans say) in every conversation, whether private or not and she expected every comment or quip (whether well-meaning or not though he personally wondered if it was even remotely possible for her to even _think_ about a well-meaning action) to be heard and acknowledged.

It seemed that Red Alert wasn't the only one who thought that way, watching in mild amusement as Beat turned and frowned at her behind her back. He trilled that she was rarely visible unless absolutely necessary, and was likely invisible to keep from scaring him.

Flutter snorted, beeping out that he must be some kind of coward to be afraid of Blade. That or he was merely stupid. The Minicon was nudged none too gently by an invisible limb, knocking her over on the berth.

He wasn't entirely sure of how to describe it, but the vision of Blade returning to visibility was like a mirage, like the heat-waves in the desert. She seemed to ripple and materialize out of nowhere. The kids had described it as a "blanket," like a sheet being thrown on her or tugged roughly off. Red Alert found that it was a rather correct description.

"You look a lot cleaner," he found himself saying rather lamely.

Blade snorted. Flutter looked as if she was about to say something more but was interrupted by the sound of grinding gears. Red Alert stared as Blade reared up higher and higher. At last her hips and pelvis area popped into a more humanoid form. Her neck and great head seemed to collapse on each other, the neck moving to lie across her spine and her head clipping to rest over her chest. Blade's head emerged at last, a humanoid one though one that was not lacking in terms of fangs and sharp teeth.

She swayed a bit, her tail swinging to balance her in gentle movements. Blade lifted a claw that had previously been her foreleg, opening and closing her clawed finger as if she had forgotten the feeling of full mobility in her digits.

"Ffive yearss." Blade said quietly, voice only slurred little. "Itss been ffive yearss since I've walked like this."

Flutter ran to the edge of the berth, trilling in annoyance. Most of what she was said was a reminder for Blade to keep her promise.

Blade turned her head to the Minicon and she subsided with an irate warble. "I do not have a secure lab to work with." She said firmly, her slur subsiding as she spoke more. "I have all my equipment here but not a secure place to work."

The Minicon gave a sound similar to a snort. She trilled that Blade should just ask Red Alert; it's not like he could do anything about it.

The femme turned to Red Alert, face expressionless. It occurred to the medic that it may have been because she was unused to having a malleable face. Her optics were the only ones that betrayed any emotion, and her golden glass eyes snapped with a sort of suppressed anger. It was startling to realize how old and experienced Blade was, for her anger wasn't the quick, fleeting anger of the young Hot Shot, but the slow, gentle but patient anger of an older creature.

"I will do no such thing, Sundance." Blade rumbled. "He has been nothing but kind to us; we won't do anything that would suggest we aren't grateful." She turned her head at a slow, leisurely pace to regard Red Alert. "Thank you, on that note. For taking care of Jazz."

Beat trilled that though Blade herself could have treated him, he doubted that she would do such a perfect job. Blade raised a brow-ridge at that, looking amused. Defensively, Beat said that it was unlikely that she herself could have fixed it so cleanly, so quickly. It would also be hard to fix someone in a rainforest.

Red Alert edged carefully away from Blade. "It was no problem. He was injured so I helped."

The femme's gaze swung back toward him at that leisurely pace. "My mate was like that," she said. "He liked to help people." Something in her tone told him that the subject was closed as soon as it was opened.

"I have a lab in the back that you can use," he said hesitantly.

Flutter trilled that there we go, there's a lab. Blade's tail wrapped tightly around her in warning. "Thank you," Blade said in a gentle voice. "I won't take more than a few hours."

Red Alert shifted. "May I ask what you promised Flutter?"

The Minicon began to trill, stopping when Blade's tail tightened on her in warning. "I promised that I would change her alternate form." With a gentle nod to the medic, Blade picked up one of the large bags in the corner and carried it into the lab.

Red Alert didn't see either of them for the rest of the day.

* * *

Jazz swiveled in the chair beside Sideswipe, obviously sulking. Both of them were. Despite his actual age (including his time in stasis), he still acted young and immature when he could afford it. And being stuck behind at the base with the other wounded (thankfully only Sideswipe) qualified as something he could afford. So he sulked.

The younger Autobot swiveled beside him, sulking as well. Neither of them liked being left behind, but because Sideswipe was still recovering from a severely injured leg, they couldn't afford to bring him out on to the field in case he got injured again or even killed.

Sideswipe cast a sidelong glance at Jazz. "How long have you known Blade?"

Jazz grinned at the younger Autobot. "Since I was about your age, actually."

"How long ago was that, old timer?" the Autobot teased.

"Golden Age of Cybertron," was the cheeky reply.

Sideswipe looked honestly surprised. "That long ago?" Jazz chuckled.

"I _am_ rather old." He admitted, leaning back in his chair with a weary sigh. For a long moment they watched the battles on the screen. "Holy Primus, what is _that?_"

The Autobot's gaze jerked to the screen. His amused face disappeared, transforming into a look of shock. "That's Tidal Wave."

Jazz couldn't help but point out the obvious. "That's bad, right?"

Sideswipe's fingers danced along the keys, bringing up the volume of the battle communications. "It's _really_ bad. It takes a lot to take out Tidal Wave, and we have yet to accomplish it."

Something occurred to Jazz and he gripped the Autobot's arm insistently. "Blade. Blade could help."

The younger shook his head. "No offense to her, but even with her it would be a tough battle."

Jazz waved it off. "No, I know _that_. I mean she has this invention she's been working on for a few years. It might still be in the prototype phase, but I think that it will at least slow down if not stop Tidal Wave."

Sideswipe was interested now. "What is it?"

"I have no idea. I mean, half the time I don't know what she's talking about, what with half her conversations are with Ranthanoss, but I know that I could inflict a whole lot of damage if used right." Jazz batted Sideswipe's hands away when the younger tried to stop him, turning the screen in front of him into a picture of the Med-Bay where Beat and Flutter kicked their legs over the edges of the berth. Blade herself, distinguished only as a reddish blob at the edge of the screen, seemed to be intent on one of the moveable carts nearby. Jazz flipped the controls of the speakers up, training them only in the Med-Bay. "Hey Blade?"

Beat and Flutter paused and tilted their head toward the speakers curiously. Blade uncurled from her crouch and stood, walking over to the console. Jazz heard Sideswipe give a quick inhalation of air, no doubt at Blade's sheer size, even on the screen. It startled him momentarily, and he wanted to laugh when he realized that he was no longer phased by her size, having been used to seeing her often enough.

It took Blade only a moment to find the button to turn the speaker into an intercom, and she pressed it. "_Yes_?" she drawled almost sardonically. Pointedly she flicked her finger off the intercom button and looked straight into the camera. Which Sideswipe noticed nervously was only a few feet above her. He noticed that she had a strangely pretty voice, one that was slightly rough, no doubt from disuse, but deep and gentle.

"Remember that thing-a-ma-bob you were making earlier? The de-ioniz-whatevers?"

Blade's brow ridge rose. "_The deionizer_?"(1)

"Yeah!" Jazz said excitedly, but Blade cut him off before he could continue.

"_The one that purifies water_?"

Jazz's smirk faded and he frowned at Blade. "No, the weapon thingie."

"_The cryo-particle beam_?"

"Is that the one that's a weapon that could freeze almost anything?"

"Oui."

"Well, we need it, so bring it down to the warp room."

Blade's brow ridge rose once more. "_Has it occurred to you that I may not know where that is?_"

"Blade, now is not the time. Follow the scents." Jazz flipped the feed to change the video of them in the communication room to one of the battle with Tidal Wave. "Will your freeze thingie work on him?"

The femme regarded the picture for a moment then nodded to herself. "_I'll get my scanner. See you in the warp room_."

She turned as Jazz cut the feed. The mech swung in his chair to look at Sideswipe. "Let's get going."

* * *

Blade was pacing in the warp room, muttering to herself. Her tail swung dangerously behind her, while a covered cart waited in the control area of the warp room.

"She's talking with Ranthanoss," Jazz murmured quietly to Sideswipe. "Don't mind her." Louder, he caught Blade's attention. "What's this? Can't you carry it yourself?"

The femme spun on a clawed heel. "No, I can't. It's very delicate. The slightest hit from any weapon and it explodes. I need _you_ to take it."

"We're injured, Blade," Jazz said in warning.

Blade snarled. "Don't you think I know that? I can practically smell the welding on you two. But unless you want more to die out there, suck it up and take the damn weapon out. Give me two minutes."

Sideswipe tried to hide behind Jazz who didn't look quite as scared. "What are _you_ going to do?" he asked rather bravely.

"Take out the trash," Blade growled, transforming. She rumbled something to Jazz and bounded into the main area of the warp room.

Quickly, Jazz and Sideswipe warped her out and glanced down at the count-down clock posted on the console. 1:50.

"What did she say?" Sideswipe asked timidly, eyeing the cart as if it would bite him.

Jazz shook his head. "She reminded me that we had two minutes before we could go out. Then she told me that in no uncertain terms was I to look for her: I was to take this – and you – straight to Red Alert. Regardless if she is there or not. She also reminded us not to bump it too much or we'd die in the explosion."

"Lovely, I assure you," Sideswipe drawled.

* * *

The sensation of warping was strange, especially since she wasn't used to it. It was relatively new technology, after all. She snorted and charged into the forest, slipping into invisibility before anyone could catch on to her presence. It felt good to be running again. This form was made more for running, after all.

There was a Decepticon up ahead. He was down before he knew what hit him. His partner was slightly more aware, but a strong slap from her foreclaw rendered him unconscious.

The scents were warm in her nose, warm in the sense that it was fresh and new, not the cold, antiseptic, _clean_ smell of the base. No, it was something different. Something beautiful, living.

She resisted the urge to roar, to declare her dominance in the world, the joy, the hunt, but she didn't. It would give away her position.

Log! She leapt over it (even though it would only take a small step to clear it) and on to the back of the Decepticon about to fire on the young Autobot Hot Shot. Biting his shoulder and chest, she swung her head, slamming him into a tree. It immediately splintered and the Decepticon fell, groaning. She flowed around Hot Shot who was stupefied, charging directly into the face of the next Decepticon. He was down in the blink of an eye.

She checked her chronometer. Less than a minute left. Her tail swiped out and carved a great chunk in the tree. It could be used as a good trap for later.

Blade darted away again, set on finding Red Alert. The medic, thankfully, wasn't too far away. He was crouched protectively over a green and purple mech, nearly quivering in suppressed anger, fear, and the urge to _fight_ for his patient. To protect him.

She knew that feeling. Her Ratchet had felt that need so many times, and Blade had always been aquiver with fear and worry every time he defended his patients. Blade herself knew that feeling of pain when finding herself helpless to defend or heal her patients.

It didn't take much to goad herself into leaping into the fight with a feral – but suppressed – roar.

Blade turned and transformed, finding that Red Alert had begun to treat the unnamed mech while she had been fighting. "I have a weapon coming. Prototype, but it should work fine." She turned her head slightly. "Jazz and Sideswipe should be here soon."

To his credit, the medic didn't argue about the wounded bringing the weapon to the battlefield. "ETA?" he asked calmly.

"A minute or so."Blade glanced around, something obviously bothering her. "There's a small scanner on the cart. Turn it on and look through it. Aim it at Tidal Wave. The scanner will pinpoint the best place to fire the weapon, the most effective place to fire."

Red Alert looked startled but voiced nothing against it, working quickly on the unnamed mech. This mech, too, was silent, watching in a sort of detached, ancient amusement.

"Pick up the gun carefully. A jostle equivalent of tripping over a root could – possibly – set it off. I don't know. It's still a prototype." She snorted, sounding irate. "Attach the scanner to it like a scope on the barrel. Point and pull the trigger. You know the drill."

Blade paced, looking anxious. Twitchy, even. The unnamed mech spoke. "What does it do?"

The femme snorted and shook her head. "If it works right, it should freeze the fluids in his system in that area. Maybe even slow his spark and pulse rate if we're lucky." Her claw twitched. She turned as if hearing something only she could pick up. "They're coming. Remember what I said."

Transforming, she charged off into the forest.

* * *

The battle wasn't going well since Tidal Wave had showed up. The Autobots were bombarded with fire from the massive Decepticon, tearing up the environment around them. A majority of the Autobots – after Blade had taken care of a large amount of the lesser Decepticons – were concentrating their fire on Tidal Wave in hopes of distracting him. That left Optimus to battle Megatron, so focused on his battle that he didn't notice that Tidal Wave had begun to turn toward them.

"Say goodbye, Prime," Megatron sneered, pushing the other roughly away. He fired roughly at the ground in front of the other, causing him to stumble backwards in alarm.

For a long while, no one was entirely sure what happened after that. A massive force with the power of an avalanche slammed into his back, sending him careening forward at Megatron. Using the unexpected but helpful momentum, he plowed into the Decepticon leader and pushed him on to his back. Then an immense roar and scream – like an entire battleship firing its weapons – tore through the air. An immeasurable heat passed behind Optimus but he didn't have the time to ponder it until later.

Obviously he had been herded backwards, no doubt for Tidal Wave to finish him off. Whoever or whatever had pushed him had saved him. Now his life was in jeopardy if he wasn't dead already; the new sense of urgency pushed Prime to fight harder, pushing Megatron back inch by inch.

There was another sound from the main battleground, a great roar of sound. Both turned in momentary surprise to find Tidal Wave stumbling backwards, clawing at the armor in his belly in his chest as if it pained him. Knowing that the tide of the battle changed swiftly with the injury to Tidal Wave, Megatron shoved his enemy off him and quickly warped away.

* * *

"Blade?"

Optimus felt sick deep in his fuel tanks knowing that the great Brazilian beast had leapt at him, risking inevitable injury and possibly death. And it broke his spark to hear the broken, anxious way Jazz called for the great beast, limping around determinedly despite the obvious agony he was in.

The sound of moving rock alerted him and the Autobot leader turned, stepping carefully backwards when he saw the massive beast struggling to emerge from a great pile of stones. He watched in surprise – he hadn't realized that Jazz was that near to him! – as the former Autobot hobbled over to the pile of stones, clawing at them as the creature struggled to be free.

Once a good portion of the monster was free – with no help from the other Autobots – Jazz threw his arms around her neck. The beast stilled, rumbling in something akin to a purr. Pink fluid dribbled down in worrisome rivulets, soaking through the rocks and turning them a macabre magenta.

Red Alert stumbled over quickly (it was very rocky in that area) and knelt quickly beside the half-trapped beast. "Her wounds are grave, but they don't appear too bad," he said, trying to sound positive. "What's worrying me is loss of fluids." He glanced at the ex-Autobot beside the creature's head. "Calm her down. Get her pumps to stop beating so quickly."

Hot Shot huffed. "Looks like a lost cause to me. Do…what do those humans say…put it to sleep?"

Jazz leapt to his feet, Blade following half a second later with a weak but fearsome roar. The sudden movement threw Red Alert backwards and startled the rest of the Autobots into drawing their weapons. "Don't you ever say that, you yellow coward." Jazz snapped, suddenly angry. "If it was _your_ friend that took a hit for someone who absolutely hates her guts, would _you_ want her to die? The only friend you have left?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Hot Shot snapped back before anyone could say anything else. "That _thing_ isn't your friend. Just some monster. A pet."

Sideswipe leapt in front of Hot Shot. "Blade, no!" the graceful tail froze in mid-strike and Blade's mouth opened in a snarl. The young mech gulped. "He's my friend. Not the way you're friends with Jazz, but he's close to me. He's my bro."

Blade hissed but lowered her tail slightly. "She's a loose cannon, if anything." Blur murmured. "Impressive creature, though."

"She's bleeding out," Red Alert snapped, as angry as he could get; his patience was gone. "Lower your weapons or she'll die." He turned to Optimus, optics daring him to say anything. Asking him silently _is this how you treat someone who saved your life?_

"Lower your weapons," Optimus ordered, optics transfixed on the bleeding creature. "Red Alert?"

The medic huffed and moved forward. "I can vouch for her. She's been with me all day." The Autobots traded surprised glances. "And obviously I haven't been hurt." He added churlishly. "Jazz, if you would calm her down, then I can treat her."

Jazz glanced at him as if wary before grabbing the deadly spur of his friend, batting her suddenly-pliant tail aside. He moved to place himself between Blade and the other Autobots. The creature gave a strange rumble-chatter (2) and Jazz snorted. "I know that I'm in a dangerous position, Blade, but I obviously have no choice. You have your job and you're confident in that. I don't."

Blade snarled, extending it into a low rumble-growl. "Don't be ridiculous. You're useful. Who needs a saboteur anymore? Much less an old coot like me?" the creature snarled again, a deeper, angrier sound. "And yes, that makes _you_ ancient."

Red Alert glared at them. "Blade, either get down or I'll force you into stasis."

The creature turned and glared at him. Pointedly, she stepped forward, pulling herself completely out of the rubble. Her legs buckled and with a strange sound collapsed. The weight of her head alone dragged Jazz down with her.

Red Alert sighed and shook his head, regarding his two unconscious patients. "Always got to be stubborn." He muttered to himself, resuming his work. He had a lot of leaks to close if Blade was to survive the night.

* * *

**(1): _The Deionizer_ sounded like a really cool name for some really cool gun-weapon-thing. When I looked it up, it was a water-purifying thing.**

**(2): I know it's not really important, but I found it amusing and somewhat lacking, considering I wasn't exactly clear on what she told Jazz. Basically she said something along the lines of: "don't turn your back on them; they're graceless idiots."**


End file.
